The Ultimate Guide to Larimar and its Healing Properties

1. Where Do Larimar Stones Come From?
2. What Is The Atlantis Stone?
3. Does Larimar Have Healing Properties?
4. Is Larimar Stone Expensive?
5. What Is Larimar Good For?
6. How Do You Cleanse And Charge Larimar?
7. How Can You Tell If A Larimar Stone Is Real?
   
   

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The Larimar stone's deeply relaxing energies can call to you at any time, and if they do, it's a big sign that you need to slow down and take some time to enjoy life's little pleasures. It can be an extremely transformative crystal if you're ready to embrace its healing energy.

What Is Larimar?

Larimar is a rare type of Blue Pectolite. It occurs within cavities in basaltic lava and forms a solid mass that can sometimes contain other crystals, such as Hematite. Traces of copper play a role in the blue color of the gemstone, but almost all Larimar crystals contains a signature white streak too. The higher quality stones are a darker blue and may contain translucent segments, but sky-blue variants are also highly valued.

A rather soft stone, Larimar only scores around 4.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness. It's a hydrous sodium calcium silicate, which, in layman's terms, means it's delicate. Some Larimar crystals form in thin, needle-like forms that can pierce the skin when touched.

Larimar is essentially the end result of a natural volcanic process that can take millions of years! And the even crazier part? It all had to happen at a specific time in a specific place.

See, Larimar is unique. It's only been discovered in one place in the Caribbean and that makes it highly attractive to crystal collectors. Its metaphysical properties, combined with its illustrious blue-green shine, makes it one of the most sought after crystals in the world.

Despite this, Larimar is relatively rare when it comes to jewelry. You can find Larimar earrings and necklaces from crystal specialists but it's a lot more difficult to find than other gemstones. In addition to this, there are many fake Larimar stones going around that can easily fool people who aren't sure how to test it. After this article, you'll know what to look for to determine your Larimar's authenticity.

Where Do Larimar Stones Come From?

Larimar can only be found in one site: deep underground in the Dominican Republic. The vast majority is mined from Los Chupadores, which is the Spanish nickname for the far more creative, "Larimar Mine." This mine has more than 2000 vertical shafts, but from the surface, you'd be forgiven for thinking there was nothing there. It's surrounded almost entirely by thick rainforest.

Larimar was named in 1974 by Miguel Méndez, but the Ministry of Mining of the Dominican Republic have records of a denied mining request to exploit the Larimar reserves as early as 1916. Records reveal that Father Miguel Domingo Fuertes Loren of the Barahona Parish asked for permission on 22 November of the same year. He wanted to mine the rare blue stone that he had discovered, but Blue Pectolite and other forms of Pectolite were not yet recognized in the Dominican Republic and he was denied permission to mine the site.

Upon its rediscovery in 1974, a Peace Corp volunteer sent samples of Larimar to several geologists. These specimens even made it to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. Miguel Méndez, an early artisan working with Larimar, decided to give the crystal a name. He combined his daughter's name, Larissa, with the Spanish word for sea, “mar." Since then, everybody knows this gorgeous blue gemstone as Larimar.

The calming turquoise color of Larimar is reminiscent of the sea of its tropical homeland. When wearing Larimar as jewelry, don't be surprised if you're suddenly overwhelmed with visions of the sun, sea and sand. It's the crystal's Caribbean paradise home making you feel welcome.

It's known chiefly as a stone of water for its island habitat and aquamarine color, but this is odd because it was actually forged by volcanic lava. This has led many to suggest that Larimar holds fire and water in perfect balance. It's often said to be one of the only crystals to neutralize the powerful elements of fire and water.

What Is The Atlantis Stone?

Often called by its nicknames, you may have heard Larimar referred to as the Atlantis Stone. This was coined by the famous clairvoyant, Edgar Cayce. He claimed that the Dominican Republic was once part of Atlantis and that the lost civilization was famed for having a blue crystal with incredible healing properties. 

Many believe that Larimar was once popularly used by Atlanteans, and if worked with today, could reveal insights into antediluvian knowledge. If you meditate with Larimar or keep it near you while you sleep, you may be prone to receiving visions from Atlantis.  

Larimar is often called Dolphin Stone too. For years, people have said that Larimar has a connection with dolphins—also an important symbol to Atlanteans. Some have even claimed that it enables them to communicate with the marine animals telepathically. Some crystal healers use Larimar to channel the light and friendly energy of dolphins to help us today. 

Does Larimar Have Healing Properties?

Many people claim that Larimar provides a wide range of health benefits. It's said that if you hold it close, wherever you are, you can immediately reconnect with the gentle ebbs and flows of your inner tides. It brings harmony to the mind, body, and spirit, relieving stress, cooling tempers, and soothing fears.

Associated with the throat chakra, Larimar is excellent at increasing your communication skills. It empowers you to find the right words to express your inner wisdom in the most articulate way possible. It provides the courage to speak from the heart. If you wear Larimar in a pendant or necklace, this enables you to feel its energy closer to your throat, further magnifying the effects. It is sometimes used to help singers or performers protect and amplify their voices. 

Larimar is a great crystal to help you spot which limitations you've imposed upon yourself. It lifts the veil and helps you glimpse the truth on the other side. In doing so, it frees blockages in the head, neck, and chest. It eases a self-sabotaging attitude and encourages you to realize your true power. Larimar is all about giving you control over your life.

You can also use this gemstone to help you let go of the past. It frees you from emotional inhibitions that seek to keep you in perpetual discomfort. If something isn't serving you any longer, toss it out. It isn't welcome anymore, and that's okay! Larimar heals unresolved issues, repressed pain, and emotional trauma. It encourages you to process and release all negative thoughts and feelings.

Those scared of needles, doctors, or hospitals need not worry with Larimar close by. It can calm phobias through the use of clear and confident communication. It's also the perfect crystal for new mothers to help them cope with postnatal depression and the stresses of parenthood. In addition to this, Larimar is said to be good for the skin. It works wonders on rashes or eczema.

If you're feeling anxious then Larimar is one of the best worry stones to keep nearby. It helps you reconnect to your childhood, letting you be playful and full of joy without holding back. Place it at home to create a peaceful environment and soothe the negative energy that disagreements leave in their wake.

Is Larimar Stone Expensive?

Larimar is somewhat of a curiosity for gem collectors. Blue Pectolite can be found quite frequently in many different places, but this specific variant from the Domincan Republic is easily the best quality in the world. And it's only found in one place.

In the Dominican Republic, Larimar is abundant. You can find it all over, but in the rest of the world, Larimar is considered a rare stone. Due to its rarity, Larimar can be quite expensive when buying it away from its homeland. The stronger the blue color, the rarer, and more expensive the gem becomes. 

How much does Larimar cost?

While it isn't the most expensive gemstone in the crystal kingdom, Larimar definitely isn't cheap. If somebody is trying to sell you a pair of Larimar earrings for a few dollars, then they're most likely fake. If you're looking around a shop and the price seems to be too good to be true, it probably is.

Depending on the quality, you will be able to get a piece of Larimar jewelry for under $50. However, for the higher end stuff, you'll be looking at 20x that figure! The strong blue Larimar jewelry can easily dictate prices of over $1,000.

What Is Larimar Good For?

Larimar can be used in tons of different ways for many different purposes. Most likely, especially if you're buying it from the Caribbean, you'll find this unique crystal in jewelry. By wearing it, you unlock its metaphysical properties through gem-to-skin contact. However, if you happen to have your hands on a natural blue gem, you can use it as a supplement for a range of exercises.

• Is Larimar good for meditation?

  Said to be a powerful meditation stone, Larimar helps you reach deeper levels of consciousness more easily. It empowers the mind, body, and soul to reach higher vibrations and feel more in tune with one another. When meditating with Larimar, you can realize and understand your true purpose and progress towards it with a sense of clarity and direction. 

  Some say that meditation with Larimar can induce contact with angelic entities. It elevates you to the spiritual plane so that you can contact your guides and ask for direction. The blue color of the stone eases open your throat chakra and enables you to speak the messages of such entities. It instills confidence and encourages you to to make the most of your enhanced communication skills and coherently translate the metaphysical messages you receive. These encounters can serve your personal journey well.

  Meditating with Larimar makes it a lot easier for you to notice negative attachments. The blue-green gem will help you break away from things that don't serve your greater good, and encourage you to explore your physical, emotional and spiritual bodies in a new light. Larimar helps you find peace and comfort in your own skin, and this shines through when you meditate with this stone.

• Can you use Larimar in an elixir?
  

  You can bathe Larimar in water and use the liquid to bring freshness to your living space. Add it to your bath water so that you soak up its calming benefits and feel extra relaxed afterwards. Or sprinkle it around your home to clear away stagnant energy and heal imbalances. You can even add a few drops to second-hand items to free them from their past owners and make them your own.

  Simply leave the Larimar stone in a bowl of water for a few hours to let the water absorb its energy. Ensure the Larimar is cleansed before and after use. Feel free to drink this elixir in small doses, too. It will welcome the crystal's healing energies into your body to work from the inside out. It can be a powerful experience.

• Can you get Larimar in jewelry?
  

  The mineral, Pectolite, occurs naturally all over the globe, but these stones are rarely cohesive enough to cut and, more often than not, are too soft and fragile to wear as jewelry. However, Larimar is a special case. The volcanic mineral is more consistent. It's believed by many to hold the physical properties of perfection when it comes to jewelry, particularly in color, beauty and uniqueness.

  Due to the brittle structure of these gemstones, it's advised to use protective settings for rings. This keeps them safe from damage like scratching or cracking. It's one of the optimum gems to use for earrings and pendants too. Wearing it around your neck, as mentioned earlier, has tons of additional benefits as it's associated with the throat chakra.

  Not many people will have Larimar jewelry, so wearing it will definitely make you stand out. It's usually interpreted as a sign of quality and class to have such gemstones upon your person. Their color is radiant and reminiscent of the light blue-green sea of the Caribbean and this automatically lifts your style and introduces new elements of beauty.

  See if you can find Larimar jewelry in your local crystal shop. It certainly has a unique vibe to it that brings happiness and joy in addition to its powerful energy.

• Can you wear Larimar stone to sleep?
  

  Larimar is an excellent stone to leave next to your bed while you sleep. It promotes calmness and reduces insomnia. It's also great at lessening the frequency of bad dreams, particularly ones that stem from anxiety. Leave the blue gem on your bedside table, and before you turn your light off, hold the mineral tight to find your inner peace. This is a great time to practise gratitude too.

  If you have Larimar jewelry, it's okay to wear it to bed so long as you're comfortable. If you wouldn't ordinarily keep earrings on in bed, then there's no need to make an exception for Larimar. It can do all the work it needs to from under your pillow or on your bedside table.

How Do You Cleanse And Charge Larimar?

Like the vast majority of gems, Larimar needs to be cleansed. Due to its brittle nature, it's a good idea to avoid charging Larimar using other crystals. This is because gemstones like Clear Quartz are much harder than Larimar and can scratch the surface of your stone. If you are going to use other crystals, a Selenite cleansing plate is probably your best bet as it won't rub against your Larimar too much. Otherwise, there are many different methods to purify your gems.

• Moonlight
  

  One of the most common methods for charging Larimar is to simply leave it outside at night under the moonlight. This works especially well during a full moon. You can even combine it with a full moon ritual to supercharge your intentions and your crystal!

• Sunlight
  

  This should be limited to a few hours maximum. Any longer in the sun and the blue color, of your stones could start to fade. This can also affect the white, vein-like patterns that Larimar is famous for. It's a powerful method, but it's wise to mix it up a bit so that you're not over-exposing your Larimar every time you want to recharge it.

• Smudging
  

  You can use smoke from incense, sage or palo santo to breathe new life into your Larimar. This method can cleanse your entire home and absorb any negative energy that's been lingering around, all while liberating your Larimar from old energy and preparing it for new intentions.

• Bury it
  

  You can bury your Larimar in salt or even soil to restore the connection between the crystal and the earth. This method is simple, but can leave your gems dirty afterward.

How do you clean Larimar?

If you want to bring back the sheen to your Larimar, or simply wash it after cleansing in salt or soil, then use a soft brush, mild detergent and warm water. If you use anything harder, then you may damage the fragile surface of the stone. The last thing you want to do is scrub off the patterns that make Larimar so beautiful.

Can Larimar go in water?

Larimar can go in water, but it may change color slightly if it spends too long submerged. It's believed that the blue color of the stone gets darker when it absorbs too much water. Larimar is not famous for containing iron, however it's often found with Hematite so it's easy to see that low quality Larimar may contain traces of iron. If this is the case, then your Larimar could rust. If it has red rings or patterns, then the chances are high that it contains traces of iron. Avoid water for prolonged periods of time in this situation.

Larimar gems also contain large amounts of calcium and copper, but neither of these metals has any trouble in water. The only real problem will come from the iron content, and that simply depends on the quality and purity of the Larimar.

How Can You Tell If A Larimar Stone Is Real?

Genuine Larimar stones tend to be more opaque than their fake counterparts. Don't be fooled by glass-like stones that are so translucent that they're almost entirely transparent. These are certainly fraudulent. However, be aware that legitimate Larimar can be translucent to a degree.

Lift your Larimar stone up to the sun and see if the light passes through. If it goes straight through then it's likely a fake. You can also analyze the various colors and complexities found within the crystal. Its turquoise color may be supplemented with flecks of white, red or even gold. If the stone seems to be monochrome, then it's likely you're dealing with a fake.

Almost all Larimar crystals contain a white streak. It's one of the defining features of the stone that separates it from Turquoise. Search your crystal for a white streak to check its authenticity. If it lacks the signature streak, you're quite likely dealing with a fake.

Final Thoughts On Larimar

If you feel the urge to seek Larimar out, then the aquamarine crystal has already sought you out. Don't resist its call. It's an amazing stone to meditate with and the perfect piece to unblock your throat chakra. What ancient wisdom will you connect with?